The Pittsburgh Steelers are sitting pretty at 5-2 after their 16-10 victory against the New Orleans Saints in Paris, and now they are staring down the 5-2 Cleveland Browns for sole possession of first place in the AFC North. This team has won three straight, but man, does the league still seem confused about how to rank them.
Winning Ugly, But Winning All The Same
You know that feeling when you watch a team grind out a win, and it isn’t always pretty, but they get the job done? That is the 2026 Steelers. FOX Sports bumped them two spots to No. 13, with Ralph Vacchiano admitting it is “probably time I stopped underestimating the Steelers” even if they “win ugly and their 42-year-old QB is a shell of his old self.” He gives Mike McCarthy credit for finding ways to win, pointing out the “emergence of RB Jaylen Warren as a legitimate two-way weapon” has been huge. CBS Sports’ Pete Prisco echoed that sentiment, ranking them at No. 14, stating, “It hasn’t always been pretty, but they find ways to win games.” The Athletic moved them up three spots to No. 13, and NFL.com has them at No. 14, noting that despite another slim margin victory over an NFC South team, “the promising developments seen on tape are becoming undeniable.” Yahoo! Sports also put them at No. 14, while Pro Football Talk gave them the highest respect, jumping them three spots to No. 10 overall. The pundits are definitely noticing the winning streak, even if they can’t quite figure out how it is happening.
The Hidden Gears Grinding in Steel City
So, what exactly are those “promising developments” and how are they finding these ugly wins? Well, The Athletic spilled some tea, revealing that after a horrendous start, the Steelers rank 10th in EPA per play since Week 3. Rodgers, that “shell of his old self,” apparently made some “impressive throws” against the Saints, and the offense converted a clutch 10 of 16 third downs. That is serious efficiency right there. Nick Shook at NFL.com highlighted Rodgers’ willingness to accept Mike McCarthy’s in-game adjustments, specifically a shift to a shorter passing game in the Week 6 win at Tampa Bay. Then, in the Paris victory over New Orleans, they put both Darnell Washington and Pat Freiermuth on the field at the same time, cutting down on early predictability. Shook even mentioned Rodgers scrambling for a first down late, joking it felt like a time machine moment. This team has a knack for finding ways, with Shook concluding they “don’t seem interested in going away.” Yahoo! Sports did point out that four of their five wins came against losing teams (combined record: 9-19) and they have only won one game by more than seven points. But hey, they also have a victory over the Bengals. You gotta win the games on your schedule, right?
First Place on the Line: Cleveland Is Next
This coming Sunday is huge. The Steelers are set to host the Cleveland Browns, both teams sitting at 5-2, with sole possession of first place in the AFC North on the line. Mike Florio from Pro Football Talk didn’t mince words, calling it “the closest thing to a ‘must’ win that any 5-2 team will ever have.” If they can pull off another one of their signature “ugly wins” at home, they will stay atop the AFC North heading into their bye week. That is a massive statement game. Can they keep rolling and prove all these ranking analysts wrong about their style, or confirm their suspicions? We are all gonna be glued to our screens for this one.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Behind the Steel Curtain.
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